Drying-chamber.



. ABBOTT DRYING CHAMBER.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 21, i918.

Patented May Il IIIIII IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII .vonnis arms co I Ham-urna., msn-ma mnv osBoRNn HEDLEY ABBOTT, or LoNDoN, ENGLAND.

DBYING-CHAIVIBER.

escaneo.

Speccaton of Letters Patent.

Patenten iuay c, rara.

Application led November 21, 1918. Serial No. 263,478.

To all whom t may concern.'

Be it known that I, OsBoRNE HEDLEY AB- Bor'r, a subject of the King of England, re-

siding in London, England,'have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Drying-Chambers, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to drying-chambers of the type wherein a numberfof superposed drying-compartments constituting crossconduits are directly connected `at-one end to a vertical main air-supply conduit from which the current of hot air is deflected into the drying-compartments.

I-Ieretofore a numberof dampers adjustable at will at different points along this main conduit have been provided for deflecting the current of hot air forced through the apparatus by a fan. I have found that it is impossible to obtain an equable temperature throughout the drying-chamber by adjusting the dampers by hand.

This invention has for its object to provide a drying-chamber of the type described which shall automatically be kept atan equable temperature throughout.

A drying-chamber of the type 'described and according to this invention has a series of baffles projecting approximately horizontally from the wall of the vertical airsupply conduit in line one with the floor of each drying-compartment, the said baflles being fixed and the distance between the edges of the baffles and the opposed edges of the drying-compartment floors being graded so that a narrower space is provided as inlet for each successive compartment from the bottom upward. Preferably the drying-chamber is heated by heating-'apparatus of a constant heat-delivering type' (for example a gas-burner).

Conveniently, the flue of the heating-apparatus is situated in the main or supply conduit and extends through the vbaffle-plates therein. p

A horizontal conduit may be provided at the bottom ofthe chamber, whereby atmospheric air enters the drying-chamber `and the heating apparatus is arranged `to directly heat the bottom of the drying-chamber and thus the conduit. The horizontal air-admission conduit is conveniently situated above a horizontal flue for the gases of combustion, which flue preferably has baffles therein.

Other features of the invention are described in detail hereinafter.

The invention is illustrated by way of example in the accompanying drawing wherein:

Figure l is a side elevation, partly in section, showing one form of drying-chamber constructed according to the invention, part of the casing being shown broken awayand one of the trays and the partition next thereunder removed, and

Fig. 2 is a horizontal section taken on the line 2 2 of Fig. l, one of the trays shown broken away.

Referring to the drawing, the dryingchamber A is supported by its bottom A1 on the top plate B1 of the furnace B for heating the air, the entire apparatus being carried bythe frame C. The products of combustionv arising from the gas-ring D or other heating-device in the furnace iiow through a hole B2 in the plate B1 into the space between thebottom A1 of the dryingchamber andthe plate B1. In this space areV located baffles B3 which delay the iow of the gases by making them take a tortuous course and thereby gives them a longer time in which to become sufliciently heated.

The drying-chamber is divided into a number of superimposed compartments by means of slightly inclined lpartitions or bottoms E removably carried by angle irons E1 mounted'on the wall of the drying-chamber. Each compartment contains a tray F removably carried by angle irons F1 mounted on the wall of the drying-chamber. One

or more doors G are provided hinged on one side of the chamber, for enabling the trays to be inserted into and removed from the chamber. Each tray has a perforated bottom F2 for enabling the hot air to rise throughit and through the material carried thereon.

The main hot-air supply conduit II in the drying-chamber is a space situated between the rear ends of the partitions E and the back wall of the drying-chamber. Baffieplates yJ carried by small brackets J1 fixed to the wall ofthe drying-chamber are provided in thismain supply conduit extending nearly horizontally from the outside wall of the chamber toward the floors of the compartments into which the chamber is divided by the partitions E. The lower baffle-plates J do not extend forward as far as the upper plates, so that the crosssectional area of the main supply conduit gradually diminishes in the direction of flow of the hot air. Atmospheric air is caused by the heat to enter the front of the apparatus through the opening K, travels along a zigzag course in the horizontal conduit K1 located immediately above the bottom A1 of the drying-chamber and the lowermost floor, and their flows into the main supply conduit I-I. A grid-valve K2 is provided at the opening K for regulating the rate of supply of air from the atmosphere to the main supply conduit. In this arrangement The main hot-air exhaust conduit M is y situated inside the drying chamber of the front wall thereof, although it will be understood that the exhaust conduit may be located at any desired place. In the construction illu-strated the upper end of the exhaust conduit has a. greater cross-sectional area than vthe lower end, this being eected by placing the front supports El and F1 of the partitions and trays, respectively, at gradually increasing distances from the front wall of the drying-chamber. Owing to the described arrangement of the batheplates I on the one hand, and the partitions E, the trays F and their supports on the other hand, the inlets for the upper compartments are made smaller in area than those for the lower, and at the same time the outlets for tlieupper compartments are made larger in area than those for the lower.

The main exhaust conduit M terminates above the drying-chamber in a tube l 1, into which the smoke-flue L of the furnace is led and continues concentrically therewith, for the purpose of increasing the rate of flow of air through the apparatus by accelerating the exhaust.

The partitions E and the bottoms of the trays F are arranged slanting upward in order to facilitate the flow of the hot air from the main supply conduit through the described compartments or cross-conduits to the main exhaust conduit.

rIhe operation 'of the described apparatus will be readily understood from the above. After the trays F carrying the material to be dried have been placed on their supports in the drying-chamber and the door G has been shut, the air heated by the furnace B rises into the vertical main supply conduit H and flows thence in parallel through the compartments containing` the trays into the main exhaust conduit. Owing to the described arrangement of the. conduits and compartments the flow of the hot air in the latter is such that fresh hot air flows into each compartment and the drying action to which the material in each compartment is subjected is equal in all the compartments.

The insertion of a thermometerinto such apparatus as usually effected results in a rush of cold air into the drying-chamber. To obviate this defect, an aperture A2 is made in the front wall of the drying-chamber at the exhaust conduit, and a cylindrical lholder N is pivotallyl mounted at its ends on the wall of the chamber and arranged to rotate about its `vertical axis in the said aperture, one half of the holder 'being located inside the chamber and the other half out side. A thermometer O is mounted in the holder at one side thereof, so that when the holder is turned by its handle N1 the thermometer can be` readily removed from the drying-chamber for inspection, or inserted therein, without cold air being able to pass into the chamber.

It is to beunderstood that various modi ications may be made inthe described apparatus without departing from the scope of the invention as defined in the'appended claims. The arrangement must, however, always -be such that the drying action of the hot air in all the compartments is equal.

That I claim as my invention and desire to secure by Letters Patent is 1. In drying-apparatus the combination of, a drying-cliamber, a number of superposed drying-compartments therein having spaced bottoms at one side of a vertical airsupply conduit common to them all and at the other side to a. vertical exhaust-conduit common to them all, a series of baffles projecting approximately horizontally from the wall of the vertical air-supply conduit in line one with the bottom of each dryingcompartment, the distance between the edges of the bailies and the one wall as well as the opposed edges of the drying-compartment floors being graded so that a narrower space as inlet is provided for each successive compartment from the bottom one'upward, and heating-means for heating the air admitted to the air-supply conduit betweenthe lower baiiie yand the lowest bottom.

2. In drying-apparatus. the combination nected at one side to a vertical air-supply conduit commonto them all and at the ot side to a vertical exhaust-conduit commonv posed edges of the drying-compartment oors being graded so that a narrower space is provided as inlet for each successive compartment from the bottom one upward, heating-means for heating the air admitted to the air-supply conduit, said heated air being delivered to the conduit between the edge of the lowermost floor and the edge of the lowermost baiie, and a flue for the gases of combustion from the heating-means which flue extends up through the vertical air-supply conduit and through the baffles therein.

3. In drying-apparatus the combination of, a drying-chamber, a number of superposed drying-compartments therein connected at one side to a vertical air-supply conduit common to them all and at the other side to a vertical exhaust-conduit common to them all, a series of baies projecting approXimately horizontally from the wall of the vertical air-supply conduit in line one with the lloor of each dryingecompartment, the said baffles being fixed and the distance between the edges of the baffles and the 0pposed edges of the drying-compartment floors being graded so that a narrower space is provided as inlet for each successive compartment from the bottom one upward, heating-means for heating the air admitted to the air-supply conduit, and a horizontal conduit at the bottom of the drying-chamber and above the heating-means which conduit communicates at one end with the atmosphere and at the other end with the vertical air-supply conduit in the dryingchamber.

4. In drying-apparatus the combination of, a drying-chamber, a number of superposed drying-compartments therein connected at one side to a vertical air-supply conduit common to them all and at the other side to a vertical exhaust-conduit common to them all, a series of baiiles projecting approximately horizontally from the wall of the vertical air-supply conduit in line one with the iloor of each drying-compartment, the said baliies being fixed and the distance between the edges of the baflies Copies o' this patent may be obtained for ve cents each, by addressing the Commissioner Washington, D. C.

and the opposed edges of the drying-oompartment oors being graded so that a narrower space is provided as inlet for each successive compartment from the bottom one upward, heating-means for heating the air admitted to the air-supply condult, a horizontal conduit at the bottom of the drying-chamber and above the heatingmeans which conduit communicates at one end with the atmosphere and at the other end with the vertical air-supply conduit in the drying-chamber, a horizontal flue situated below the horizontal air-admission conduit but which second horizontal flue is connected at one end to the heating-apparatus and at the other end to the vertical flue for gases of combustion so that the gases of combustion pass from the heating-apparatus through this horizontal flue to the vertical flue and thereby heat the air entering by the horizontal air-conduit, and bailes situated in the horizontal Hue to retard the passage of the gases of combustion there through.

5. In drying-apparatus the combination of, a drying-chamber, a number of superposed drying-compartments therein connected at one side to a vertical air-supply conduit common to them all and at the other side to a vertical exhaust-conduit common to them all, a series of baffles projecting approXimately horizontally from the wall of the vertical air-supply conduit in line one with the floor of each drying-compartment, the said baliies being Xed and the distance between the edges of the baffles and the opposed edges of the drying-compartment floors being graded so that a narrower space is provided as inlet for each successive compartment from the bottom one upward, and heatingmeans of a constant heat-delivering type for heating the air admitted to the airsupply conduit.

In testimony whereof I alx my signature.

OSBORNE HEDLEY ABBOTT.

Witnesses:

SmNEY SHARP, FRANCIS J. For.

of Patents, 

